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4 O'Clock Forecast: Thinking about going fishing? Just go to work

Speckled trout double

Wait until the winds settle down and the tidal range picks up, and the autumn speckled-trout bite will pick right up where it left off. (Photo by Todd Masson, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)
(Todd Masson)

South Louisiana anglers have two big factors working against them Thursday: wind and tidal range.

Winds are supposed to pick up out of the east, and blow all day between 15 and 20 knots. That's not a deal-breaker for inside areas, although it does limit fishing options by dirtying up the windward sides of lakes.

The other limiting factor is of greater importance. The water didn't move much at all on Wednesday, and that will be true again on Thursday. The tidal range is just paltry. Catching inshore fish when the water's not moving is perhaps the most challenging of all fishing conditions.

Better days are ahead, although perhaps not immediately. Fishing action this weekend will depend upon the timing of the approaching cool front as well as whether the low in the Caribbean develops and heads our way.